These Real Olive olives aren’t just organic, they are fresh and plump and marinaded in a variety of imaginative ways. Our favourites are the rosewater & cumin “Kasbah” olives — involving a use for rosewater we’d never considered before, but it gives the olives a lovely floral flavour, odd though that may sound. For traditionalists, there are mixes of olives with basil & wild garlic, herbes de Provence & mustard, piri piri, or a special antipasti mix with crunchy cornichons, caper berries, sweet red peppers and tangy sun-dried tomatoes.

To make easy/emergency canapés, warm bite-size slices of ciabatta bread (cut it into two, or four, as necessary to make it bite-size) under the grill, spread with black olive tapenade or green pesto, and press a few olives into the spread. This makes small, easy-to-handle canapés. If the organic olives are accompanied by shreds of sundried tomato or tiny cubes of Feta, so much the better — just press them down to stop them rolling off the toast

To make an authentic Greek Salad, find the best (ideally organic) tomatoes and cucumber you can, and quarter and slice them respectively. Pour on some uncomplicated Real Olive Company olives — Kalamata and Nocellara del Belice are suitable — along with all their oil. Add fresh, cubed Feta cheese. Sprinkle liberally with dried (not fresh) oregano. Pour on extra-virgin olive oil, the greener the better, and mix gently by hand. (Shut your eyes, forget about the grocery bill and pretend you’re in Greece, where EV olive oil is 10p a gallon.) Leave for 20-30 minutes to let the flavours mingle. Serve with thick-cut crusty bread and a cold, bold white wine.

Find your perfect party olives from The Real Olive Company by clicking HERE